The Executive Director of the Oil-for-Food Programme (Mr. Benon
Sevan) today welcomed the adoption of resolution
1483 (2003) lifting civilian sanctions on Iraq and phasing out
the Programme over the next six months.

"The lifting of sanctions represents long-awaited relief for
the Iraqi people," he said. "Iraq is blessed with natural
and human resources, not the least of those being oil and a well
educated and extraordinarily resilient population and an extremely
competent cadre of industrial managers and experts capable of
driving the economy forward. If peace and security prevail, their
formidable capacity and ingenuity will be unshackled by today's
resolution."

Mr. Sevan drew attention to the fact that the Oil-for-Food
Programme was always intended by the Security Council to be a
temporary measure. "This has been a very long seven years -
from 1996 to the present day," he said. "We are fully
committed to the most orderly and cost-effective phasing out of the
programme over the next six months."

Mr. Sevan said he had already initiated the necessary actions to
start the phasing out of the programme. "We will also continue
to deliver goods and supplies in support of the programme over the
next six months, while preparing to hand over all related
activities, resources and assets." (Posted 22 May)